Ana Fatima Costa

Spring 2022 BerkeleyLaw Mock Depositions
2022-04-12 15:00 - 18:30, 2022-03-15 15:00 - 18:30, 2022-03-08 15:00 - 18:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | UC Berkeley School of Law
Learn how to own your authority as one of three reporters of record at mock depositions at BerkeleyLaw in Berkeley, CA.
These opportunities are for steno and voice court reporting students and newly licensed court reporters. Limited to 12.
Dates: March 8 & 15 and April 12 & 19, 2022
Each day, three simultaneous mock deposition Q&A sessions will be reported by advanced court reporting student apprentices or new reporters.
Unlike traditional internships, where a reporting student shadows a working reporter, my apprentices learn how to be THE REPORTER: state their Reporter’s Admonition before going on the record; speak up as often as needed to get the best record they can; and produce rough draft transcripts.
These mock events are win-win opportunities for all participants:
• Law students and lawyers benefit from a reporter interrupting them to ensure the integrity of the record when they mumble, speak too fast, or talk over one another. Later, by reading my apprentices’ rough drafts or final transcripts, they learn how to improve their questioning and defending skills and future performance.
• Reporting students and new reporters learn breathing techniques to manage fear, nervousness, and anxiety; how and when to speak up; and how to create, edit, and produce rough drafts. As a result, they develop self-confidence and are able to immediately utilize the lessons from these extra-curricular practical skills events in their training and career.
Visit my Mock Woman Apprenticeships page for more details.

Code Switching
2021-12-15 18:00 - 20:00 | CA
Have you heard of “Code Switching”?
The most common definition is “the practice of alternating between two or more languages or varieties of language in conversation.”
Example: “This café has a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ ambience.” In other words, “I don’t know what.” Yet while preparing for this, my third time co-presenting with my esteemed colleague, attorney Joanna Storey (our second presentation for SFPA’s 2021 Skills Academy), I found multiple, complex layers of meaning.
Code Switching includes:
✳️ Culture;
✳️ Social standing;
✳️ How we are perceived by others;
✳️ Overcoming negative stereotypes;
✳️ Stories we tell ourselves about ourselves and others;
✳️ Changing our behavior to gain approval / acceptance;
✳️ In BIPOC and LGBTQI+ communities, it can mean survival; and more.
Please join Joanna Storey and me for San Francisco Paralegal Association‘s final 2021 monthly Skills Academy professional development webinar on #CodeSwitching today, December 15th.
DATE: December 15, 2021 TIME: 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. PST COST: Free for SFPA members; $5.00 for non-membersREGISTER: https://sfpa.com/event-4562334 #SFPASkillsAcademy

Fall 2021 BerkeleyLaw Mock Depositions
2021-11-16 15:00 - 18:30, 2021-11-09 15:00 - 18:30, 2021-10-19 15:00 - 18:30, 2021-10-12 15:00 - 18:30 | UC Berkeley School of Law
Three simultaneous mock deposition sessions reported by high-speed court reporting student apprentices whose main task is to speak up for the record in order to produce rough drafts.
Unlike traditional internships, where a reporting student shadows a working reporter, my apprentices learn how to be THE REPORTER: They speak up as often as needed to get the best record they can, mark exhibits, and produce rough draft transcripts.
These mock events are win-win opportunities for all participants:
• Law students and lawyers benefit from a reporter interrupting them to ensure the integrity of the record when they mumble, speak too fast, or talk over one another. Later, by reading my apprentices’ rough drafts or final transcripts, they learn how to improve their questioning and defending skills and future performance.
• Reporting students and new reporters learn to manage fear, nervousness, and anxiety; how and when to interrupt; develop self-confidence; and immediately utilize the lessons from these extra-curricular practical skills events in their training and career.

Private Event in Washington D.C.
2021-11-12 | CA
Topic: Own Your Story to Speak Up for the Record & Your Needs

San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association’s Annual Mock Trials
2021-11-06 09:00 - 12:00 | CA
Four law schools compete in two simultaneous mock trial sessions in the morning and afternoon reported by high-speed court reporting student apprentices whose main task is to speak up for the record in order to produce rough drafts.
Unlike traditional internships, where a reporting student shadows a working reporter, my apprentices learn how to be THE REPORTER: They speak up as often as needed to get the best record they can, mark exhibits, and produce rough draft transcripts.
These mock events are win-win opportunities for all participants:
•Law students and lawyers benefit from a reporter interrupting them to ensure the integrity of the record when they mumble, speak too fast, or talk over one another. Later, by reading my apprentices’ rough drafts or final transcripts, they learn how to improve their questioning and defending skills and future performance.
•Reporting students and new reporters learn to manage fear, nervousness, and anxiety; how and when to interrupt; develop self-confidence; and immediately utilize the lessons from these extra-curricular practical skills events in their training and career.

Golden Gate University School of Law’s Final Mock Trial
2021-10-24 09:00 - 12:00 | CA
Sixteen law schools from throughout the U.S. compete in 23 mock trials at GGU’s annual Professor Bernie Segal National Criminal Mock Trial Competition In Vino Veritas each fall. My apprentices capture the record in the final mock trial, which will be virtual again in 2021. Their main task is to speak up for the record in order to produce rough drafts. Unlike traditional internships, where a reporting student shadows a working reporter, my apprentices learn how to be THE REPORTER: They speak up as often as needed to get the best record they can, mark exhibits, and produce rough draft transcripts. These mock events are win-win opportunities for all participants:
• Law students and lawyers benefit from a reporter interrupting them to ensure the integrity of the record when they mumble, speak too fast, or talk over one another. Later, by reading my apprentices’ rough drafts or final transcripts, they learn how to improve their questioning and defending skills and future performance.
• Reporting students and new reporters learn to manage fear, nervousness, and anxiety; how and when to interrupt; develop self-confidence; and immediately utilize the lessons from these extra-curricular practical skills events in their training and career.

British Columbia Shorthand Reporters Association 2021 Fall Conference
2021-10-16 10:00 - 17:00 | CA
October 16, 2021 – Hosted Through Zoom
10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.  Ana Fatima Costa: Speaking Up for the Record
1:00 p.m. – 4:00 pm.  Annual General Meeting

Civility & Communication in a Hybrid World
2021-09-30 20:00 - 22:00 | Online
SUMMARY
As we approach a hybrid workplace, this is a good time to pause and reflect on civility and communication.
All too often, we jump to conclusions and communicate with others based on judgments and assumptions, which result in misperceptions, misunderstandings, and conflict.

Example:
Attorney (in the office) calls Paralegal (remote) to discuss an important project. S/he was in the bathroom and calls back 10 minutes later. Attorney’s initial reaction is swift:

“I told you this remote work arrangement wouldn’t work! You must be physically in the office from now on so I can reach you at a moment’s notice!”

Paralegal is embarrassed to tell the attorney the reason why they missed the call. Attorney assumes they were running a personal errand.

Now Paralegal is considering whether to quit because mandatory in-person work is a deal breaker.
Tempers flare, and their business relationship is at risk.

In this session, we explore how to reframe your mindset to listen, observe, and communicate civilly and effectively.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

#civility#communication#empathy#SFPA

What civility and ethics guidelines apply to lawyers, paralegals, and court reporters

How to make observations without judgment and requests instead of demands

Minimize stress, frustration, and disappointment through clear communication

Own your story to speak up for yourself and your needs while maintaining civility

How to not take things personally or make assumptions, and always do your best

Bar Association of San Francisco
2021-09-15 10:00 - 13:30 | CA
9/15/2021 Bar Association of San Francisco presentation with Joanna Storey, Esq.

Civility and Communication in a Hybrid World

Excited to co-present a webinar on September 15 at 12:00 p.m. PDT with attorney Joanna Storey: “Civility and Communication in a Hybrid World,” hosted by The Bar Association of San Francisco’s Paralegal Section.

Summary

As we approach a hybrid workplace, this is a good time to pause and reflect on civility and communication. All too often we jump to conclusions and communicate with others based on assumptions, which result in misperceptions, misunderstandings, and conflict.

At the beginning of a deposition, examining counsel on Zoom may make a facial expression that suggests anger about the answer the witness just gave. Defending counsel may respond with an accusation that examining counsel is threatening the witness. In reality, examining counsel’s facial expression was a reaction to a sharp abdominal pain from having recent surgery, which is why they are appearing through Zoom. But they do not want to appear weak, so they deny the facial expression was made, and the dispute escalates. The court reporter and witness are caught in the middle.

In this session, we explore how to reframe your mind to listen, observe, and communicate civilly and effectively.

Topics

What civility and ethics guidelines apply to lawyers, paralegals, and court reporters

How to use civility as a sword and shield

Minimizing stress, frustration, and disappointment through clear communication

How to make observations instead of judgments

Law firm and management’s role in the supervision of lawyers and staff

How to be a strong advocate for your client and yourself, while maintaining civility

Join our conversation to learn some practical tips for effective communication between lawyers, paralegals, staff, court reporters, and others and share your voice.

Date: Wednesday, September 15, 2021

Program: 12:00 – 1:15 p.m. Pacific Time

MCLE: 1 Hour

Washington Court Reporters Association Fall 2021 Seminar
2021-09-11 12:45 - 14:15 | CA
Ana will speak at 12:45 to 2:15
It is an honor to be one of five speakers at the Washington Court Reporters Association’s Fall 2021 Virtual Conference!
Date: Saturday, September 11, 2021
Program: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PDT
AGENDA
9:00 WCRA President’s Welcome
Phyllis Lykken, CCR, RPR, FAPR
9:00-10:30
Rebecca Klein & Keith Scott
TALLsmall Productions, LLC.
10:30-10:45 Break & Prizes
10:45-11:45
COLD: The Investigation of the Death of Susan Powell
Dave Cawley, KSL Investigative Journalist
11:45-12:45
Lunch & WCRA Business Meeting, including Installation of New Officers
12:45-2:15
Own Your Authority to Speak Up for the Record & Your Needs
Ana Fatima Costa, Costa Coaching & Consulting
2:15-2:30 Break & Prizes
2:30-4:00
When It’s Time to Raise Your Rates for Your Services— Three Strategies to Negotiating Your Rates
Cassandra Caldarella, CSR, CoverCrow, Inc.
4:00-5:00
Zoom Social Hour & Prizes
Please join us this Saturday, September 11, 2021, for some fun and networking with fellow reporters after the seminar.
#WCRA2021 #SpeakUp #StrongerTogether

2021 NCRA Conference and Expo
2021-07-29 08:30 - 2021-08-01 21:30 | CA
Own Your Story to Speak Up for the Record and Your Needs
On stage: Ana Fatima Costa
Sunday @ 8:30 AM
2021 NCRA Conference and Expo
July 29 through Aug. 1 at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada
